Pencil pointer lock



Nov. 2, 1965 H. B. LEVINE PENCIL POINTER LOCK Filed April 13, 1964 FIG-12 5.

I N VENTOR. HOWARD B. LEV/IVE BY EDWAED D. OBE/AA/ United States Patent 3,215,122 PENCIL POINTER LOCK Howard B. Levine, 1216 Venture St., Anaheim, Calif. Filed Apr. 13, 1964, Ser. No. $559,382 1 Claim. (Cl. 120-91) This invention is directed to a pencil pointer lock and to a lock suitable for use with other similar equipment.

Pencil pointers are conventional pieces of equipment and the pencil pointers to which the lock of this invention is particularly adapted are of a nature designed to the pointing of drafting pencils. These pencil pointers are not secured to any surface and in use simply rest on a reference table adjacent the drafting table. When the pencil pointer is used, a drafting pencil is inserted in the top thereof, and circular motion of the pencil about the vertical axis of the pencil pointer causes sharpening of the pencil. When used in such a way the pencil pointer has a tendency to objectionably slide around on the top of the reference table. Furthermore, such pencil pointers are small and apt to become lost or removed by unauthorized personnel and it is desirable to retain them in a fixed position both for convenience in sharpening and to prevent unauthorized removal thereof. Other types of equipment are also made more useful and secure by employing the lock of this invention.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a lock for a drafting pencil pointer and similar equipment which retains the equipment in position during the pencil sharpening operation.

It is another object of this invention to provide a pencil pointer lock for a drafting pencil pointer and similar equipment which retains the pencil pointer in place against unauthorized removal thereof.

It is another object of this invention to provide economical, simple, foolproof pencil pointer and similar equipment retention means which furthermore is easily disconnectable, by an authorized person, for the service of the equipment.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent upon a study of the following portion of the specification, the claim and the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a portion of a drafting reference table with a drafting pencil pointer secured thereto by means of the lock of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section through the reference table and pencil pointer lock taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical section at right angles to the section of FIG. 2 taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2.

As an aid to understanding this invention it can be stated in essentially summary form that it is directed to a lock particularly adapted to the locking in place of a draftsmans pencil pointer, and similar equipment. The pencil pointer lock comprises a base to which the pencil pointer is secured and a lock shaft secured to the base and arranged to extend through the top of any unit to which the pencil pointer is to be secured. A locking collar arranged on a movable member, preferably a lockable drawer in the unit to which the pencil pointer is to be locked, engages around the lock shaft in a groove therein to retain the lock shaft from being pulled upward out of the unit.

This invention can be understood in more detail by reference to the following portion of the specification wherein the drawings are described in detail. As is seen in FIG. 1, a unit 10 to which the pencil pointer 12 is to be secured is shown in the form of a reference table having a top 14 and a base 16. Such reference tables are conventionally supplied adjacent drafting boards for the purpose of the storage of drafting equipment in the drawers thereof and'the spreading of reference drawings on the top thereof. A drawer 17 is shown in the reference table and the drawer has a front 18 which carries a lock 20 of conventional nature which engages with base 16 to maintain the drawer closed when the lock 20 is engaged. The drawer 17 additionally has sides, one of which is seen at 22 which frames the drawer and guides it.

As is seen in FIG. 4, the pencil pointer 12 is of conventional design for pencil pointers particularly adapted for the pointing of drafting pencils. It comprises a cup shaped main member 24 which normally serves as the base thereof. Pencil pointer rotating member 26 rotates about the central, vertical axis of the pointer 12 about an internal shaft, and the rotating member 26 is maintained in position by means of top securing nut 28 on the shaft, which nut may be removed for access to the internal mechanism of pointer 12 for the maintenance thereof.

To secure the pointer 12 to the reference table top 14, a locking flange 30 is secured to the main member 24 as a supplemental base thereto. The locking flange 30 is secured by means of machine screws 32 which engage in threaded holes in the member 24 and have their heads set in recesses in the bottom of locking flange 30. Preferably any rubber foot material is removed from the bottom of member 24, and similar material is placed on the bottom of locking flange 30 so as to cushion it with respect to the table top 14. Locking flange 30 is substantially co-extensive with member 24 to provide most favorable appearance.

Lock shaft 34 is secured at its upper end to locking flange 30 by any conventional means. A threaded connection 36 is shown, but it is clear that other securing means such as welding or riveting is also practical. The lock shaft 34 extends through a hole 38 in the table top 14 and through so much of the frame 16 as is necessary to permit the lock shaft 34 to enter into the space occupied by the drawer 17 therein.

Lock shaft 34 is sufficiently long to extend into the drawer 17 past the top of drawer side 22. Lock shaft 34 has a lock groove 40 turned around shaft 34 at approximately the top edge of drawer side 22. Thus, a lock boss 42 is formed at the bottom end of lock shaft 34 with lock groove 40, of reduced diameter, thereabove.

In order to maintain lock shaft 34 in hole 38, and thus retain locking flange 30 and pencil pointer 12, lock collar 44 is secured to the drawer side 22. Lock collar 44 is in the form of an angle having a locking yoke 46 of such dimension as to embrace lock shaft 34 in its lock groove 49. The lock collar 44 also has a securing foot 48 which is secured to the drawer side 22 by means of screws 50. When the drawer is closed the locking yoke 46 engages around the lock shaft 34 at the groove 40 to thus prevent movement of the shaft 34 out of the hole 38. Thus, the removal of pencil pointer 12 is effectively prevented. When the lock 20 is engaged, the drawer cannot be opened and the pencil pointer 12 is locked in place. This structure is particularly useful in those places where a plurality of different draftsmen use the same equipment, as in school drafting rooms, but it is also useful to prevent the pencil pointer 12 from sliding on the table top and it is useful in other places to prevent removal of the pencil pointer by personnel other than those charged with its use and maintenance.

It is clear from this description of the preferred em. bodiment of the pencil pointer lock that it is susceptible to numerous modifications and changes without the exercise of the inventive faculty. Accordingly, the scope of this invention is defined by the scope of the following claim.

3 4 I claim: second fingers defining a yoke having a first distance A pencil pointer, a lock associated with the pencil between said fingers corresponding to the diameter pointer; of the groove means, said lock collar being adapted a base secured to the pencil pointer, said base with to be secured to a movable member positioned below a lock collar,

pointer attached having a bottom surface adapted 5 the supporting surface and inaccessible from the top to be secured by means of said pencil pointer lock of the supporting surface so that movement of the to the top of a substantially horizontal supporting movable member into an engaging position causes surface, said pencil pointer having a rotatable memsaid first and second fingers to engage the groove ber thereon, said rotatable member of said pencil means so as to lock the pencil sharpener and base pointer being iadapted to have its axis of rotation 10 to the top of the support surface and movement of substantially vertically positioned with respect to said movable member into a non-engaging position said bottom of said base and being adapted to rotate removes said fingers from said groove means and about said axis at substantially right angles with thereby unlocks said pencil pointer.

respect to said bottom of said base, an opening in said rotatable member, said opening being adapted 15 Refefeflws Cited y the Examine! to receive a pencil and hold the pencil substantially parallel to and away from said axis of rotation;

UNITED STATES PATENTS lo k shaft secured to said base, said lock shaft 1874031 8/32 Dawson 1298 1,961,383 6/34 Nye et al. 160328 havmg an axis in substantial ahgnment with said 2 999 481 9/61 l 120 91 axis of rotation of said rotatable member, said lock 20 mco n shaft extending below said bottom of said base and FOREIGN PATENTS 1 belng adapted to pass through a ho e in the sup 230,511 1/44 Switzerland.

porting surface, said lock shaft terminating in an end away from said pencil pointer, said shaft having groove means formed thereon adjacent to said end; said lock collar having first and EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

LAWRENCE CHARLES, Examiner. 

